Trench

        This mosaic was acquired by the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity on Sol 055 (March 20, 2004). The rover used its front wheel as a digging tool, providing a view under the topmost layers of Martian soil. This way, scientists were able to gather information about soil composition a few centimeters beneath the surface. This trench is about 20 centimeters (about 8 inches) wide. Pancam's 601nm, 535nm, and 482nm filters were used in this mosaic.  Three versions are available below at full resolution: an approximate true color rendering, a false color stretch to enhance the subtle color differences in the scene, and a stereo anaglyph to simulate the scene in 3D when viewed through red-blue glasses. The mosaics are vertical projections.

Jim Bell
Pancam Instrument Lead
June 13, 2013